The forum will address a wide range of issues related to dynamics and challenges in the steel and raw materials markets The 22nd Steel Development Strategy Conference, organized by SteelHome, will be held in Shanghai, China, from April 16 to 17, 2026. The conference will focus on a wide range of key issues related to the dynamics and challenges in the steel, iron ore, coal, and coke markets. The event will serve as a platform for in-depth discussion of new trends, market factors, technological progress, sustainability initiatives, and other topics. It is expected to bring together around 1,000 participants, including representatives of government agencies, industry associations, more than 150 steel plants, mining companies, traders, leading research institutes, influential media outlets, and delegates from more than 30 countries around the world. The conference provides an...

EUROFER warns that expensive electricity is slowing down investment and decarbonization and threatening steel production The European Steel Association EUROFER supported a joint appeal from the industry, adopted in Antwerp on the eve of the EU leaders’ meeting on February 12. The industry is demanding urgent measures to reduce the cost of electricity, which determines the competitiveness of European industry and economic stability. The association stressed that consistently high and volatile electricity prices, further increased by taxes and carbon costs, have become one of the main obstacles to investment, electrification, and decarbonization of the steel industry. According to industry estimates, returning tariffs to a level close to the pre-crisis 2021 level – approximately €44/MWh – is critical to preserving production chai...

The coming year may be more successful for the Hungarian steel market than 2025. Hungary is weathering the pan-European economic crisis much more severely than other EU members. Since 2022, the country has not received any money from European budget funds due to the official position of Budapest on a number of domestic political issues. While in Italy, Poland, and Romania, steel demand is significantly supported by EU funding for infrastructure projects, Hungary is deprived of this opportunity. The resumption of European funding remains unrealized potential for the expansion of the Hungarian steel market. Hopes for improved steel sales in 2026 are linked to the restoration of funding for development programs by Viktor Orbán’s government and foreign investment in industry. The example of Hungary shows that the state can stimulate steel consumption even...